Resident Wants Radical Changes in High School Renovation Project

One man called for radical changes in the plans for the proposed $44.66 million renovation project during a Monday night.

The council discussed the items that had been pulled from the educational specifications, which will be used by the architect and building committee to design the school once a referendum is passed.

On March 6, the Board of Education decided to . However, the board pulled the following four items from the specifications and wanted the council’s guidance on whether the items should be included in the referendum question.

• ($576,130)
• Adding 60 new parking spaces ($230,452)
• Separate water boiler for the high school pool ($64,014)
• Replacing five tennis courts ($320,072)

In total, the four items would cost $1,19,668 and the state would not pay reimbursement costs for any of them. The state is expected to reimburse the town about 44 percent of the overall project's costs, leaving taxpayers here to pay the remaining $28.2 million.

Resident Kevin Suddell said he wanted to see the high school renovated as new, but felt the current plan did not address all the needs of the structure and its surrounding area.

“I don’t believe the ed specs out now give us the best possible high school for the future of Rocky Hill,” he said.

Suddell wanted to see more energy-saving methods, athletic field improvements including the bleachers, and an auxiliary gym in the plan for the high school renovation project.

“I believe that this project could be easily expanded a little bit, so we get a much better facility for town use,” he said. “We should also consider doing radical changes to the building.”

Suddell even proposed removing the pool from the high school entirely and renovating the one at for both school and town use. He added that the maintenance and life guards already are paid through the town budget and a structure could be built around the pool area for all-year use.

“This is the opportunity to not only go for a renovation, but think long term for the town,” he said. “To think what is best for that site.”

The council took no action on the project at the meeting and decided to table the discussion until after a . The hearing, which will be inside the high school auditorium at 6:30 p.m., will discuss the possibility of setting a referendum date and the expected amount that will be budgeted for the project. The council could make a decision Thursday night, which would mean the expected date of the referendum would be June 5.

Councilor Cathy Vargas wanted to know if the high school has enough parking spaces with the addition of 11,700 square feet to the existing structure. The project's architectural consultant, Michael Sorano said the high school currently has enough spaces to comply with zoning requirements. However, the additional spaces would help with larger events that require overflow parking.

Vargas also wanted to make sure that the conceptual design would have enough storage so that the use of trailers, which house band, choir and sports equipment, could be eliminated. Sorano explained that the design currently budgets for 2,000 square feet of additional storage and the trailers only have 1,300 square feet of items.

“We have wiggle room in this design,” he said.

Councilor Frank Szeps also wanted to make it clear that the project will also affect residents who do not have children in the school system. He said by replacing and enlarging the school’s generator, the largest building in town could be used as an emergency shelter. The enlargement of the generator will allow for more areas of the school to have power during an emergency.

Szeps also said the current plan does not include any fuel cells, solar panels or geo-thermal power. Board Member Brian Dillon explained that those methods have been explored. However, those items will be evaluated during the design phase of the project if the educational specifications are approved, he added.

“It is too early to commit to anything,” Dillon said. Sorano added no matter what is used, the building would have high performing equipment.

“Everything that is going into the building is high performance,” Sorano said. He added that the town, building committee and architect will have to evaluate grants available at the time.

Dave Marzello, who was the only other resident to address the council Monday, said he fully supports the educational specifications, but would like to see the town add the removed items to the referendum question.

 “We have a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said.